2nd Cavalry Regiment goes at it alone!
An article published on 16 October 26, included a statement by commander 2 Cav Regt Lieutenant Colonel Joshua Higgins that:
“The regiment’s role is to provide commanders with early warning through aggressive patrolling, observation, screening and fighting for information”.
But that’s NOT the unit’s role. It used to be; before 2 Cav Regt became a dual-role unit.
What the CO should have said, was: “2 Cav Regt is Army’s only dual-role unit, providing both a reconnaissance and intelligence gathering capability, as well as, close fire support for infantry”.
The whole tenor of the article, entitled “From Keen Eyes to Sharp Talons”, was predicated on highlighting “the merit of cavalry”. But 2 Cav Regt is no longer a cavalry unit (despite what it might like to think).
The CO went on to say that when 2 Cav Regt adopted the wedge-tailed eagle as its badge, it was drawn to the bird’s “keenness of sight and ability to roam large distances — qualities that mirrored the regiment’s reconnaissance role”.
How many times does it have to be said, that’s NOT the unit’s role anymore – it is no longer a reconnaissance regiment.
“While 2 Cav Regt’s reconnaissance and security mission has remained unchanged”.
AGAIN, NOT TRUE! The unit’s reconnaissance and security mission has changed fundamentally, now that tanks provide the other half of the unit’s role!
Although its roles are incompatible, 2 Cav Regt is now a dual-role unit, tasked with providing BOTH reconnaissance and close fire support for infantry. It is equipped with two squadrons of recon vehicles and two squadrons of tanks, to achieve this.
It is understandable that the CO leans toward his unit’s cavalry role; after all, he didn’t ask for the tanks. They were imposed on 2 Cav Regt as a compromise which would allow the unit to provide 3 Brigade with a limited tank capability (while keeping within the RAAC’s two ARA unit manpower ceiling).
Unfortunately, the same manpower constraints have prevented 3 Brigade fulfilling its designated role as an armoured brigade.
Rather than separate tank and cavalry regiments as would normally be the case, 2 Cav Regt has been forced to operate short a tank squadron, a cavalry squadron, and a battle-group headquarters.
Finally … “The regiment’s combined-arms team has a fire control system able to integrate with other Army elements such as the new AS9 Huntsman self-propelled howitzers, to fire via a cavalry troop onto target.”
Surely, this same capability would be possible, “via a tank troop”. More cavalry bias (unconscious or otherwise)!
Lieutenant Colonel Bruce Cameron, MC, RAAC (Ret’d)
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